ROSEMONT, Ill. – Purdue Baseball's Luke Gaffney seized his opportunity and produced to the tune of a 9-for-18, five-double weekend in his collegiate debut, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for his hot bat.
Gaffney helped the Boilermakers win three of four vs. Stony Brook during the season-opening weekend, finishing with five RBI and seven runs scored. He not only started at first base but also batted cleanup in all four games. The Danville, Kentucky, native hit safely in all four games and put on a show in Saturday's doubleheader, barreling up for five doubles among his seven hits in the twinbill.
Gaffney is Purdue's first hitter to be recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Skyler Hunter in March 2017. Pitcher Troy Wansing was the program's last Freshman of the Week honoree in March 2022.
A catcher by trade, Gaffney began learning the first base position in the fall while proving his bat deserved to be in the lineup. When projected starting first baseman Breck Nowik suffered a broken hamate bone in his wrist on Feb. 2, Gaffney became the next man up.
Gaffney did have a year of seasoning under his belt during a redshirt season a year ago. Nonetheless, over his first three collegiate games, he accomplished the following feats…
• Played first base for the first time in his collegiate debut
• Recorded four hits and scored four times in game No. 2
• Connected for three doubles and collected five RBI in game No. 3
Logan Sutter also had nine hits in the Stony Brook series while making his Purdue debut as well. Sutter did it while hitting behind Gaffney in the 5-hole, recording multiple hits and a double in all four games. They became the first Boilermakers to register nine hits in a four-game series since Evan Albrecht and Paul Toetz accomplished the feat last season in weekend No. 3 vs. Akron.
Gaffney and Sutter were a combined 12-for-19 with 11 RBI in the doubleheader and 18-for-35 with 12 RBI in the series, accounting for 45% of Purdue's hits and 39% of the RBI. With runners in scoring position, Gaffney was 3-for-4 and Sutter 4-for-7. Gaffney reached base safely in four of his five opportunities to lead off an inning.
Gaffney's three-double game was only the second by a Boilermaker since March 2019. He gave Purdue a three-double game in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003 and 2004. The Boilermakers had six doubles in both games of Saturday's doubleheader, pounding out a dozen over consecutive games for the first time since doing it twice in 2011.
Purdue is back in action Friday when it opens a four-game series vs. George Mason in Holly Springs, N.C. First pitch of the series opener is set for 3 p.m. ET.
Gaffney helped the Boilermakers win three of four vs. Stony Brook during the season-opening weekend, finishing with five RBI and seven runs scored. He not only started at first base but also batted cleanup in all four games. The Danville, Kentucky, native hit safely in all four games and put on a show in Saturday's doubleheader, barreling up for five doubles among his seven hits in the twinbill.
Gaffney is Purdue's first hitter to be recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Skyler Hunter in March 2017. Pitcher Troy Wansing was the program's last Freshman of the Week honoree in March 2022.
A catcher by trade, Gaffney began learning the first base position in the fall while proving his bat deserved to be in the lineup. When projected starting first baseman Breck Nowik suffered a broken hamate bone in his wrist on Feb. 2, Gaffney became the next man up.
Gaffney did have a year of seasoning under his belt during a redshirt season a year ago. Nonetheless, over his first three collegiate games, he accomplished the following feats…
• Played first base for the first time in his collegiate debut
• Recorded four hits and scored four times in game No. 2
• Connected for three doubles and collected five RBI in game No. 3
Logan Sutter also had nine hits in the Stony Brook series while making his Purdue debut as well. Sutter did it while hitting behind Gaffney in the 5-hole, recording multiple hits and a double in all four games. They became the first Boilermakers to register nine hits in a four-game series since Evan Albrecht and Paul Toetz accomplished the feat last season in weekend No. 3 vs. Akron.
Gaffney and Sutter were a combined 12-for-19 with 11 RBI in the doubleheader and 18-for-35 with 12 RBI in the series, accounting for 45% of Purdue's hits and 39% of the RBI. With runners in scoring position, Gaffney was 3-for-4 and Sutter 4-for-7. Gaffney reached base safely in four of his five opportunities to lead off an inning.
Gaffney's three-double game was only the second by a Boilermaker since March 2019. He gave Purdue a three-double game in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003 and 2004. The Boilermakers had six doubles in both games of Saturday's doubleheader, pounding out a dozen over consecutive games for the first time since doing it twice in 2011.
Purdue is back in action Friday when it opens a four-game series vs. George Mason in Holly Springs, N.C. First pitch of the series opener is set for 3 p.m. ET.